Reebok releases 'nevertheless she persisted' shirt

By Matt Eisenberg | Feb 11, 2017espnW.com

Reebok

Reebok has turned the rallying cry used to support Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren into a T-shirt and is donating proceeds toward the Women's March.

"Nevertheless, she persisted" has become a battle cry among many American women after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell used the phrase to silence Warren on the Senate floor when she denounced the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions as the next attorney general, and Reebok has turned it into a motivational T-shirt.

"We are inspired and empowered by the senator's recent statements and these t-shirts are our way of showing our support for all women who continue to persist and break down barriers," Reebok Senior Director of Brand Management Inga Stenta said in a news release on Friday.

Earlier this week, Warren's speech was cut short when she read from a letter Coretta Scott King wrote in 1986. McConnell invoked Rule XIX, which forbids demeaning another senator, to prevent Warren from reading the letter.

"She was warned. She was given an explanation," McConnell said. "Nevertheless, she persisted."

The phrase quickly gained traction among those supporting Warren. #ShePersisted and #LetLizSpeak were among the top trending topics on Twitter in the U.S. on Wednesday, and several applied McConnell's remarks to other historical figures, including Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman.

"[Warren] was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted," said @SenateMajLdr, providing a history of feminism.

Enter Reebok. which is selling the shirts for $20. For every shirt sold, it is donating $20 toward the Women's March's campaign during the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's administration.

"As a women's first brand, we stand behind the Women's March and believe we have the resources and platform to contribute in a meaningful way," said Stenta, who attended the Women's March in Washington D.C. on Jan. 21.

Reebok's decision to make such a T-shirt stands in contrast to competitor Under Armour, whose CEO Kevin Plank expressed his support for Trump earlier this week. Several Under Armour athletes, including Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and dancer Misty Copeland, have said they disagree with Plank's comments.

"I have spoken at length with Kevin privately about the matter, but as someone who takes my responsibility as a role model very seriously," Copeland wrote on Instagram, "it is important to me that he, and UA, take public action to clearly communicate and reflect our common values in order for us to effectively continue to work towards our shared goal of trying to motivate ALL people to be their best selves."

Sydney Leroux Dwyer, who is not sponsored by Reebok or Under Armour, took the time to show her support for the cause by dressing her baby Cassius in a different shirt that reads "nevertheless she persisted."